Many people with type 2 diabetes will often find they have high cholesterol either when diagnosed or before finding out they have type 2 diabetes.

Some people may have high cholesterol because they have a condition called familial hypercholesterolaemia. This is a genetic condition that affects about one in 250 people.

People with this condition will have had higher cholesterol levels than normal from birth. However, as high cholesterol rarely presents symptoms, the condition may not be diagnosed until adulthood. [284]

Other factors can also cause higher cholesterol levels include certain medications such as: